Obama, the “Denier” of Israel’s Crimes

By Ann Wright

I listened to President Obama’s speech to AIPAC Sunday, March 4, 2012, while sitting outside the Washington Convention Center where AIPAC was holding its annual conference. We at OCCUPY AIPAC hooked up a PA system to a computer and listened to the live stream while watching tens of thousands of Israel’s American supporters arrive for their yearly intimidation of the U.S. Congress and the U.S. President to fund and protect Israel.

Much of the focus for others writing about the President’s pandering speech to AIPAC will be about the Iran nuclear program and, if weaponized, the threat to Israeli and U.S. security, in that order. I will leave the Iran nuclear program to them while I will write about a part of his speech that pertains to a part of the world that I know personally.

But one last comment about Iran-- Obama said the Iranian government denies the Holocaust.

I would say that Iranian government is not the only “denier.”

President Obama and his advisors are the “deniers” of incredible Israeli violence and horrific violations of international law.

Having been to Gaza within days after the 22-day Israeli attack on Gaza that killed 1440, wounded 5,000 and left 50,000 homeless (13 Israelis were killed-5 by Israeli fire), I know the Goldstone Report is accurate in its recording of endless Israeli attacks on Gaza by air, land and sea. President Obama must not know that the Goldstone report comments on the actions of all parties, not just the Israelis. How would Obama know whether the report is accurate or not, when not one Obama administration officer has visited Gaza to observe the destruction first hand, nor have they asked any of the American citizens who have travelled to Gaza for their observations.

In another event concerning Gaza, Obama recounted, “When Israel was isolated in the aftermath of the flotilla incident, we supported them.” I was a passenger on one of the six ships in the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla. I know personally that Israeli commandos brutally attacked all six ships in the flotilla. On the Mavi Marmara commandos executed 9 passengers and wounded 50 more. There were only civilians on the ships and there were no weapons on the ships. Israeli commandos murdered an American citizen shooting him 5 times. Despite the repeated requests of the family of the U.S. citizen, 19 year old Furkan Dogan, the Obama administration decided it did not need to conduct its own investigation but would rely on the Israeli government investigating itself. Israel was isolated by the world after their criminal behavior against the Gaza flotilla--and for good reason! I will add that the Obama administration did not contact any of the American citizens on the flotilla to ask for their comments on the Israeli attack other than a brief consular visit in the Israeli prison where we were held.

Obama said the U.S. protects Israel from “one-sided resolutions” in the United Nations Human Rights Council, yet the U.S. and Israel stand virtually alone as the rest of the nations of the world see clearly Israel's outrageous actions that are condemned by the Human Rights Council.

Obama stated the United States stands against divestment and boycott of Israeli goods, yet as boycott, divestment and sanctions actions by citizens demanding that organizations look at human rights records of companies in which they have invested, despite what Obama says, Israel is beginning to feel the pinch as citizen "sanctions" on Israeli companies that steal resources from Palestinian lands are implemented.

Finally, Obama said that the U.S. opposes those who “delegitimize” Israel. Yet it is the State of Israel that by its illegal actions against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, delegitimizes itself—Israel does not need anyone to help in delegitimization.

Obama ended that section of his speech with “when the chips are down, I have Israel’s back,” no doubt hoping that AIPAC supporters will contribute substantially to his re-election campaign because of his perpetual “denial” of the criminal actions of the state of Israel… a “denial” dangerous for the national security of the United States, and of the State of Israel.

About the Author: Ann Wright retired as a Colonel after 29 years from the U.S. Army and Army Reserves. She was a U.S. diplomat for 16 years and resigned in 2003 in opposition to Bush’s war on Iraq. She was in Gaza three times in 2009 after the Israeli attack on Gaza and returned in November, 2011. She was a passenger on the 2010 and 2011 Gaza flotillas.

Informed Activist

Speaking Events

Buy Books

Get Gear

The log-in box below is only for bloggers. Nobody else will be able to log in because we have not figured out how to stop voluminous spam ruining the site. If you would like us to have the resources to figure that out please donate. If you would like to receive occasional emails please sign up. If you would like to be a blogger here please send your resume.

User login

Username: *

Password: *

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.